Cardiosclerosis is a medical term that refers to the thickening and hardening of the walls of the heart chambers. The spelling of this word can be broken down using the International Phonetic Alphabet. The first syllable, "car," is pronounced as /ˈkɑr/ (rhymes with "far"). The second syllable, "dio," is pronounced as /ˈdaɪ.oʊ/ (rhymes with "buy-oh"). The final syllable, "sclerosis," is pronounced as /skləˈroʊ.sɪs/ (rhymes with "dose us"). Together, the proper pronunciation of cardiosclerosis should sound like "car-dye-oh-sclero-sis."
Cardiosclerosis is a medical term that refers to the condition characterized by the hardening or thickening of the walls of the heart. It is a progressive disease that involves the buildup of fibrous tissues in the cardiac muscles, leading to the loss of elasticity and functional impairment of the heart.
The process of cardiosclerosis often occurs as a result of prolonged damage to the heart muscle caused by various factors like chronic high blood pressure, heart attacks, or long-term exposure to toxins. These injuries trigger the body's natural healing response, causing the formation of scar tissue in the affected area. Over time, this scar tissue replaces the normal cardiac muscle cells, resulting in a stiff and less efficient heart.
The symptoms of cardiosclerosis can vary depending on the degree of damage to the heart. Common indications may include chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling of the ankles and feet. As the condition progresses, it can lead to complications such as heart failure, arrhythmias, and increased risk of blood clots.
Diagnosis of cardiosclerosis typically involves a thorough medical history, physical examination, and various diagnostic tests, such as electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and cardiac catheterization. Treatment approaches for cardiosclerosis aim to relieve symptoms, slow down the progression of the disease, and prevent complications. This may involve lifestyle modifications like regular exercise, a heart-healthy diet, medication therapy, and in severe cases, surgical interventions like coronary artery bypass grafting or heart transplantation.
Overall, cardiosclerosis is a chronic condition that requires ongoing medical management and monitoring to optimize heart function and improve quality of life.
A condition of fibrous, or connective tissue, overgrowth in the heart muscle and endocardium, associated usually with similar degenerative changes in the arteries.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "cardiosclerosis" is derived from two Greek roots: "cardio-" and "-sclerosis".
The root "cardio-" pertains to the heart. It comes from the Greek word "kardia" (καρδία), which means "heart". This root is commonly used in medical terminology to refer to things related to the heart.
The suffix "-sclerosis" comes from the Greek word "skleros" (σκληρός), which means "hard" or "hardness". This suffix is used in medical terminology to denote a pathological condition of hardening, thickening, or fibrosis in a particular organ or tissue.
Therefore, "cardiosclerosis" is a medical term that describes the hardening, thickening, or fibrosis of the heart tissue.